{"id":25397,"date":"2019-05-27T16:18:16","date_gmt":"2019-05-27T20:18:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mjtsai.com\/blog\/?p=25397"},"modified":"2019-05-27T16:18:16","modified_gmt":"2019-05-27T20:18:16","slug":"wish-for-a-return-of-vibrant-tapdown-states","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mjtsai.com\/blog\/2019\/05\/27\/wish-for-a-return-of-vibrant-tapdown-states\/","title":{"rendered":"Wish for a Return of Vibrant Tapdown States"},"content":{"rendered":"

John Gruber<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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I don’t know why, but one of those things has been bugging me a lot in recent months: the drab gray color that indicates tapdown state for list items and buttons. Putting aside skeuomorphic textures like woodgrain and leather and the 3D-vs.-flat debate, the utter drabness of tapdown states is just a bad idea. I didn’t like it when iOS 7 debuted, and I like it even less 6 years later.<\/p>\n

In classic iOS, when you tapped down on list items or buttons, they’d instantly light up in vibrant color. The standard color was a bright cheerful blue. In iOS 7 through 12, the tapdown state is the color of dirty dishwater.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Steven Aquino<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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John talks about delight being sapped from iOS post-iOS 7, which is true in many ways. But the tap down state he calls out here is an accessibility issue too. iOS 6 blue was better—more visually concrete and contrasting.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Andy Lee<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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Related: a key principle of graphical user interfaces is the notion of direct manipulation, which necessarily means clear<\/em> and immediate<\/em> visual feedback. More than once I’ve seen Apple fail in this respect.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Ryan<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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Skeuomorphism was a visual device used to train users on how to use phones when we transitioned from the physical form to digital. It was a solution of the time and that’s all.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Kyle Howells<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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I see this point of view a lot. That skeuomorphism was a crutch we as society needed but have now outgrown.<\/p>\n

I think this sort of thinking is incredibly misguided and damaging.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Dan Masters<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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Some joyful Apple software highlights<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Benjamin Mayo<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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The standard set by iOS 7-12 is much more drab, almost clinical. It’s a flat, nondescript, grey that seems like it was chosen specifically because it would not<\/em> draw the eye. The grey is close enough to white that anything white would not have sufficient contrast, so the illumination effect is also no longer present. Cell content no longer reacts in tandem. The whole interaction is a lot more lifeless. Rather than the UI egging the user on to complete the tap action, today’s iOS drearily yawns and says “okay, if you must”.<\/p>\n

This is just one of the laundry list of things that people railed against in 2013. Criticism died down as people acquiesced to what was given to them. Many critics, myself included, accepted the iOS 7 design as a rush job and thought that Apple would obviously catch their breath and ‘fix it’ over the next couple of OS versions. I don’t think anyone at the time expected us to still be stuck with these missteps six years later.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Previously:<\/p>\n